Background:

In 1957, Lotus produced a car called the Seven, and later, the Super Seven. In 1973, production of the Lotus Seven was sold to Caterham Cars, where they continue manufacturing kits and complete cars to this day.

Due to the expense of Caterhams, in the mid-1990’s, Brit Ron Champion wrote Build your own Sports Car for as little as 250 British Pounds. In it, he coined the phrase “Locost”, a play on words referring to a low-cost Lotus Seven knock-off. The Champion book is out of print though a more recent book by Chris Gibbs, Build your own Sports Car on a Budget shares the common design of a small, light, front-engine, rear-drive sports car. The Gibbs book is now out of print as well but the term “Locost” lives on, referring to any scratch-built sports car that resembles the original Seven. Both books use parts commonly available in England but less so elsewhere. Because of the hard-to-find parts, and with front engine rear-drive drivetrains becoming sparse, is where Midlana comes in.

What’s with the name?

“Midlana” = “Mid” (being mid-engine) + “Lana” (our granddaughter). I’ve always liked the sound of the word “Katana”, a Japanese sword, and since my car is partially Japanese due to its drivetrain, and our granddaughter being partially Japanese, it just kind of fit.

What is a Midlana?

Midlana is presented as the next generation Locost, retaining the raw elemental simplicity of the original Seven, with its characteristic nose and fenders, but updated with a modern drivetrain. Builders don’t have to work with composites; an off-the-shelf fiberglass nose is used instead of spending thousands for a shell. As with the original Seven and Locosts, Midlana is designed to be easy to build and maintain.

There are few small front-engine rear-drive drivetrains to chose from for a Seven-type car – not everyone wants a Miata engine. Until now, there hasn’t been a book on building a Seveneque car using common FWD drivetrains and mounting it mid-ship. Midlana uses common Miata suspension parts and steering due to the its light weight, availability, and reasonable prices.

Probably the single most important feature of Midlana is the mid-engine placement. Many potential builders already know the drivetrain from their FWD street car. Midlana allows using that knowledge instead of being forced to use an engine they don’t have, don’t know, and don’t want to use.

Is Midlana is better than a Locost?

Define “better” – some people only think it means faster. Since the primary difference between a Locost and Midlana is engine position, the only real way to find out would be to run the following test: Two cars, equal weight, equal wheelbase, equal track, equal aerodynamics, same exact engine, one mounted front-engine, the other mid-engine, and the same tires. Same driver, same track, same day. Drive 10 laps in each and see what’s what – that’s it. Anything else is meaningless because of so many factors which can throw off the results. The chance of this test ever happening is about zero.

Mid-engine cars have won every single F1 race since 1958, but granted, they’re hardcore race cars, many with downforce, but given the choice, why not start with what been proven as superior on-track, since that’s what most builders aspire to (reasonable or not!). Phil Hill once said, “It was really astounding how just the placement of the engine [behind the driver] gave comfort to the drivers. The whole feeling of being – at the end of the string – was gone.”

I do feel Midlana is better, but not because it may or may not be faster, but because of the secondary benefits placing the engine behind the seats provide – foremost being a much wider choice of engines, much more foot space, and the resulting low Polar Moment Of Inertia.

Is Midlana easier to build than a Locost?

It will be about the same as building an IRS version of a Locost. Like a Locost, it is designed so that no machining is necessary; you won’t need a lathe or mill, though a drill-press is a big help.

A FWD drivetrain in the back? Won’t it run backwards?

Think of the FWD drivetrain in a normal FWD car. With the drivetrain moved to the rear, the tires still turn the same direction but instead of pulling the car it’s now pushing – it’s just a shift in perception.

I want it more “curvy”

Those sexy curves come from an expensive composite shell. This is one of Midlana’s selling points, that you won’t spend $6000+ for an unpainted composite shell. That figure isn’t an exaggeration, check around and see what full-body composite shells cost. Spending one tenth that on composite means at trackday events you won’t worry – as much – about every little rock because there’s less to damage.

What are the dimensions of the car?

64″ front track, 60″ rear track, and a 96″ wheelbase. Overall height is 44″, about the same size as a Locost but a little wider.

How big is the engine bay?

Large enough to nearly any 4-cylinder engine, and some small V6s. With modifications, others can fit as well.

Can I use a bike engine?

In short, yes, but once the bike engine’s overall length (exhaust, cylinders, gearbox, and rear axle drive) are added together, the challenge will be getting it all to fit. There is however, nothing wrong with lengthening the chassis a couple inches to properly package it.

I want in-board suspension

You got it! Actually, both in-board and out-board front suspension is an option. Rear suspension is outboard.

I have a bunch of FWD engine parts laying around, can I use them?

Absolutely!

How much does Midlana cost?

How much does it cost to build a house? The answer depends entirely upon you and how much you choose to spend. For example:

Seats, 0 – $1200 each

Dash instruments, 0 – $3000 for a full flat dash setup

Gas tank, $200 for a self-built one, $2500 for a real custom fuel-cell

The actual steel and aluminum is about $1000. Miata donor parts (uprights, steering, and a few odds and ends) will be $100-400 depending upon source, Craig’s List on the one end, boutique-style wrecking yards at the other. As you can see, it completely depends upon you. As an practical example:

Seats, $400

Dash instruments, $400

Gas tank, At least $100

Shocks, $1000

Axles, $500

Wheels and tires, $1600

Drivetrain, $2000?

Paint, $1000?

Fenders and nose, $500

Steel and aluminum, about $1000.

So that’s very roughly $10,000, which is virtually the same as a Locost since it uses so many of the same components. Of course, the cost is spread over however long it takes to build the car. Some builders think that’ll happen in “six months, tops”, but life will make it take longer, and know that the build is the fun. Get rid of your cable TV, Starbucks coffee, and take your lunch to work. That alone adds about $250+ a month to the project bank account. In 3.5 years, it’s paid for the car.

Be wary of comparing Midlana’s price to venders claiming you get a “complete” kit for $15K. Their idea of “complete” typically includes only the shell, chassis, and suspension. No drivetrain, seats, fuel tank, pedal assembly, steering rack, instruments, harness, or a hundred other odds and ends, never mind paint. They low-ball you into buying the kit and then nickel-and-dime you for the rest. To get a better idea of what a kit really cost, drop to the bottom of their price list and see what they get for a turn-key car, which is usually around $30K. While that includes profit, it’ll be far closer to the actual expense.

If you really want a hard number, it’s always 25% more than you think!

Is Midlana cheaper to build than a Locost?

The only unique feature over a straight-axle Locost is the need for custom half-shafts. It’s unlikely that the drivetrain’s axles will just happen to be the right length and spline count and spline size to fit the Miata uprights. Because of that, assume axles will be necessary, which run $250-1000 depending how much power you plan to run. Than again you won’t have to pay to get a driveshaft shortened.

My budget’s only $3000, can I still build one?

Yes but very challenging. Doing so means using everything possible from a near-free donor. Engine, tranny, seats, instruments, stock OEM ECU, OEM wire harness, with Miata steering, rack, and wheels and tires. And hopefully you already have the tools.

I would do things different

Excellent, then Midlana is for you! The book notes areas where builders must make choices based upon their own goals and preferences – it’s okay to be different. Renderings of different ideas are included so builders can pick and choose what they like, or they can make their own unique modifications.

I’m no styling expert and want people to customize their car. I’m a slim 6′; if you’re taller or shorter, the roll cage and passenger compartment can be changed to suit. If you’re heavier or slimmer, widen the car, narrow it, move the seats forward or back, or tilt them and bring the cage down. Want to add tubes to the cage, great. Want to change the engine cover? Great. Variations are a good thing.

Think of the book as a cookbook. If you – the chef – want to add a little more of this or that, great! The book provides a starting point, a known solution for a fun competitive car that works, but individual variation is encouraged. As long as the suspension geometry isn’t changed, where the tubes go isn’t a big deal, really.

I want more hip space, can I make it wider?

Yes, but the body will taper inward more sharply toward the nose, so unless the nose is modified it’ll look odd with the steeper angles. Also, the car is already 72” wide at the outside of the tires, so don’t go crazy else it might end up as wide as a HUMVEE – without exaggerating. Making the car wider also has implications for the suspension because it lowers the roll-centers, but whether the builder cares or not depends what the car is used for.

That windscreen frame…

Some have expressed concern that the front windscreen frame may collapse in a rollover because it doesn’t have proper bracing. Per the SCCA/NASA Rule Books, this is correct. As a practical manner though, you have to be able to get in and out! It was my judgment that most builders don’t want to squirm in through the top of the cage, or slide through the side like in a stock car. In a hard rollover, yes, the windscreen frame may deform, but not that much. Draw a line from the top of the main hoop to the front of the chassis and it shows that the frame can deform downward 5.5″; this is not a large amount. The windscreen framework and overhead X-tubes also serve as strong points for hoisting yourself in and out of the car and is much stronger and safer than a Locost because the Locost has nothing forward of the main hoop!

A race car designer wrote: “…there’s nothing wrong with the forward corners of the cage – they have a long ways to go before they contact anything (unlike the main hoop and its proximity to the occupants’ heads), and having some give helps absorb energy. Keep in mind that formula and sports racer cars have no forward corners at all…” However, I want builders to feel safe in their car, so alternatives are listed.

Does it have power steering and power brakes?

Neither are needed nor necessary. Steering is extremely light due to having so little weight on the front wheels. Even at a standstill, steering is not a problem – really. Eliminating the power circuits also has the benefits of less weight, fewer hoses to leak, fewer lines running down the center channel, and two less things to maintain.

I want an aluminum chassis

Many people think they want an aluminum chassis. To make a long and contentious issue short, a steel chassis can be flexed a small amount forever and never fail. If an equivalent aluminum chassis is flexed any amount (even engine vibration) it will fail eventually. To be blunt, some builders don’t know what they don’t know.

Some point at an OEM aluminum chassis car (such as Ferrari or Lotus) and say that if they can do it, so can we. Well, anyone can weld together an aluminum chassis, but the critical difference is that they have engineers who’ve figured out the fatigue life of the chassis. It’s just metal, but knowing what alloys to use and how to distribute it is where the skill is. I won’t do it because I know what I don’t know but that doesn’t stop some builders. I’m always tempted to ask builders of aluminum frames for their structural analysis, suspecting that there isn’t one. To me, dismissing an aluminum chassis design as trivial is an ignorant slap in the face of structural engineering, sometime accompanied by the flippant, “they’re thinking inside the box.” Yes they are, and that box is called “metallurgy.” It’s highly doubtful that these optimistic builders found a way to get around physics.

Ignorance hasn’t changed the physical properties of aluminum and these same builders seem oblivious about heat-treating, but apparently if they don’t know about it, it doesn’t exist. No, there is no aluminum chassis for Midlana – if you want to do it anyway, you’re on your own.

It looks like a dune buggy

The cage can be left out but doing so cuts torsional rigidity in half and of course having the cage is safer than not (on-track at least). It’s all about choices. For example, if the windscreen is removed along with its frame, the passengers lose a great way to hoist themselves up and out of the car and also lose protection from getting pelted with bugs and rocks. The frame is also a convenient attachment point for doors, too. Everything’s connected to everything else…

I want to start building now!

You can get started right now:

Research your local motor vehicle registration process to ensure it’ll be legal to drive on the street

Clean out the garage, build shelves and get everything off the floor

Locate and buy a welder (this alone can take months if looking for a name-brand unit)

Build a chassis table

Collect donor parts

Decide on a drivetrain

Find and buy said drivetrain

Rebuild the engine if needed

Rebuild the transmission

Research which ECU to use

And which seats, and steering wheel, and quick release hub, and wheels, and tires, etc, etc

This also gives time to build the budget, since a fair number of parts need to be purchased up front before the chassis is done. If you want to get a sense of what it’s like to build a car, check out my book on building a mid-engine tube-frame Mini from the ground up; the chassis and drivetrain layout are similar to Midlana, http://www.kimini.com/book_info

You keep mentioning SCCA/NASA rules like everybody’s going to race

Some owners will no-doubt take their car to track day events and it’s good to know that Midlana has been track tested. They can take their car out on-track knowing that the SCCA rule book was used during design. That said, running Midlana in SCCA or NASA events probably won’t be much fun because it’ll be classed against cars utilizing ground effects, highly aerodynamic bodies running very low ground clearance. Builders are free to go with smaller or thinner tubing but it is their full responsibility to understand the consequences of doing so. My constant reference to the rule book was an effort to produce a safer chassis without crash-testing. Using what the SCCA has learned over decades seems wise and exceptions are noted where builders must decide their own course.

Where are the parts lists?

In the book

How long does it take to build one?

Using the same analogy above, how long does it take to build a house? It all depends how much time you have available, if you have help, and how efficiently you work. I’m actually not a good example since I designed the car in parallel with building it and writing a book at the same time; current builders are a better source of data. When people say they’ll build a project in a given timeframe, they almost never meet their self-imposed deadline. This isn’t a reflection on Midlana but more a commentary on overly-optimistic human nature when applied to any large project.

What does the book include?

A lot! Full plans and hundreds of pages of pictures, guidance, tips, and options. Think of it as me being in the garage with you, providing drawings, the plans, and providing lots of helpful input. See the book info page here.

How much is the book?

It’s less expensive that the very few other mid-engine sports car books/plans on the Web, and those don’t provide 400 pages that walk you through the entire build process, never mind options.

Can I buy pre-cut parts?

Short answer, not from me. Midlana is aimed at the Locost community, where people build cars themselves because they haven’t the money to buy one. There are other kits on the market which supply pre-cut tubes but these come at a high price. I don’t feel there’s a large enough market to warrant the overhead, but builders are free to set up a side business of their own supplying pre-cut parts.

What are your qualifications?

I am a degreed electrical engineer (I work in aerospace doing HW/SW design and currently field support). I previously designed and built another car, kimini.com, which the new owner seems happy with. Anyone can build a car if they do the research and take their time. Many Locost builders do most of their own design work because it’s the only way they can afford a sports car, and they aren’t engineers either. That’s much what happened to me; I started reading like crazy and went from there.